Out of Sight, Out of Mind
by XxXxInvisibleGirlxXxX
Summary: Max knows exactly what she wants to do. She'll graduate high school in the town where she grew up, then she'll go to college, and then she'll start a career in either art or music. But when her mostly absentee father decides to go to Florida with his wife to raise their new kid Max is stuck living with a mother she thought was dead for most of her life... Full Summary Inside...
1. Chapter 1

**New stuff! I know I have other obligations but I just couldn't let this pass me by.**

**Full Summary: Max knows exactly what she wants to do. She'll graduate high school in the town where she grew up, then she'll go to college, and then she'll start a career in either art or music. But when her mostly absentee father decides to go to Florida with his wife to raise their new kid Max is stuck living with a mother she thought was dead for most of her life. All she wants to do is forget her past and survive senior year, but she might just end up doing a little more than survive and she might just live. And most importantly Max learns that out of sight does not necessarily mean out of mind.**

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Have you ever wanted something so bad that you wished you could just take it? Yeah well I have and that's what's gotten me into this whole mess in the first place.

Now just to set the record straight let me put it out there that before this I have never shoplifted, frankly the thought had never even crossed my mind before today. I just wanted that damn brush so bad, and I thought, _why do I never ever get nice things? My old ones are worn out and I have been meaning to get some new paint brushes._

Don't worry, I already know you're thinking, _Really Max? You stole a paint brush? You really couldn't just get your ass thrown in jail over a stolen car or something?_

To be fair to myself, I was having a crapy day and before I knew it the paint brushes were in my bag and I was walking out of the store.

Now I'm stuck waiting in a jail cell until either my mostly absentee father or my stepmother who's old enough to be my sister. I honestly don't know which one I'd prefer, but apparently I didn't have time to dwell on that thought since there was a cop opening up the cell and telling me that my mother was here to pick me up.

"Stepmother." I automatically corrected and the cop looked surprised.

"But you look so alike." He commented casually

"I don't look anything like the little slut that married my father." I told him with venom lacing my every word.

By this point we had made it to the front of the building so the cop pointed in the direction of a woman of medium height with really dark brown hair who had her back turned. "Take a look at her and then come back and tell me seriously that you don't look alike, if you hadn't just told me that was your stepmom then I would have assumed she was your biological mother, actually I did assume."

"I'm sorry, but I've never seen that woman before in my life, she can't possibly be here to pick me up."

At this point in the conversation the strange woman turned around and my sharp intake of breath was audible. In my state of shock I even let the woman pull me into a hug before regaining my senses and pulling away from her touch like it shocked me. I could clearly tell from the look on the woman's face the I had hurt her slightly by my actions.

"You're dead." A stated clearly, "He said you were dead." By this point I was taking slow but sure steps backward viciously shaking my head as if trying to expel the thought that my mother could actually be alive after all these years of thinking she was dead. My retreat was halted when my back hit the wall of the police station and I could get no further away.

"That's absurd, he's the one who called me." The woman -My Mother- said.

"He wouldn't- You can't be-" I cut myself off when I realized that he had every reason to lie to me about this, and it was entirely too possible that this stranger standing here before me was my birth mom.

"Sweetie, I'm sure he didn't tell you that I was dead, maybe you just assumed. We should get out of here there are some things we need to discuss, _without an audience_._"_ She stressed the 'without an audience' part so that the group of curious on lookers we had attained would know that they weren't wanted.

_God, she even acts like me. _I thought before an even more horrifying thought passed through my mind, _she doesn't act like me, I act like her._

"C'mon let's go." She reached for me again but I shied away from her touch again. When I did this she just sighed disappointedly as if she expected me to react that way. "The car is just outside."

Feeling slightly numb I followed her blindly until we got to a car that I assumed was hers, "This is your car?" I asked with awe clear in my voice.

We were standing next to a midnight blue sporty looking convertible, the kind that old people or men who are trying to compensate for something drive.

The woman just nodded her head, pressed button to unlock the car and waited for me to get in.

"Look, I don't want to sound awkward or anything but, what's your name? I mean at first I was okay with calling you The Woman, The Lady, and Bio Mom in my head but now it's kinda annoying. And plus I only get into cars with strangers if I know their name or they have candy either one works for me." I shrugged nonchalantly as if I was serious and for all she knew I was.

"My name is Val and I have gum if that helps." She said just as seriously.

"Thanks, Val. Much appreciated." I said while stepping into the car after she had given me the piece of chewing gum. Ew why did I just call it chewing gum? What else do you do with it?

"So... Aren't you even going to ask why I was arrested?" I asked cautiously. "I'd even settle for you telling me why you decided to give a shit after a 17 year long disappearing act."

"Max, your father has wanted to do this for a while now, this little incident just gave him the ammo he needed to do it for real." She replied expertly answering my first question but ignoring my little comment about her giving a shit.

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" I exclaimed, "The only thing my dad wants to do is get rid of me so that he can continue to live his perfect little life with the tramp that he calls a wife without disturbance from me."

Val looked slightly disturbed by my outburst, "Max, how long have you known?"

"Known what?" I asked innocently.

"Max, you know I'm talking about your father."

I was literally in shock, "Oh my god, he is getting rid of me." I stated, "The bastard has finally cracked and now he's sending me away to only god knows where to live with the mother that he told me was dead."

"Now Max, he isn't getting rid of you-" Val started but I cut her off.

"Yes, he is. That little shit head. I always knew that he wanted to but I never thought he'd actually do it."

"Max-" Val started but I cut her off again.

"And you, you're helping him get rid of me. I know you were into drugs before, can't you just say that you had a relapse and aren't fit to take care of me?" as soon as I said this I wanted to take my words back, she looked like I had slapped her and I knew that I had just crossed some invisible boundary.

For the first time I noticed that the car was stopped and parked, "Max, if I had known that you felt this way-" her voice sounded so hurt that I could let her go on. I mean, I know I'm a bitch but I'm not heartless.

"Val, it's nothing personal, really. But I have a life here, a job and friends, which I can't just ditch on a whim to go live with you. I know that you took the time to come out here from wherever but I can't just leave."

"California, I live in California, just a few hours' drive away from here. I'm sorry if you feel like I abandoned you but you have to know that I called frequently once I got sober 15 years ago. I did fight your father for custody when you were little so you probably don't remember. They gave him full custody and I didn't even get visitation. I sent you a birthday card every year with money in it. When you got older I asked your dad if I could talk to you on the phone frequently but he always said that you were busy or that you didn't want to see me."

"Val, I never got any cards, and I was never asked if I wanted to talk to you. He told me to my face that you died of an overdose when I was a baby, I never imagined that you were alive and just a few hours away."

"Max, I never thought that he was preventing you from talking to me. I always thought that you hated my guts." When Val went to pull me into a hug I let her but only for a few seconds.

"We should probably go in to, you know, crash the party he's probably having to celebrate my departure. And to tell him that I'm not even leaving."

When we walked up the drive of the shitty two bedroom shack that I call home the first thing I noticed was the obnoxiously loud laughter coming from inside followed by the unmistakable 'pop' that a bottle of champagne makes when you first open it. "He actually is having a party. I was just joking when I said that, what an ass hole."

"Well think of it this way, you'll get so much more satisfaction when you tell him you're not leaving." Val suggested lightly. The thought made me smirk with pleasure.

With that thought in mind I strutted up to the only pausing briefly to take a breath before I burst through the front door exclaiming, "I'm home bitches! Did you miss me?"

Jeb and Anne stopped mid toast to look over at me and I faintly heard Val protest "Language!" from behind me.

At first Jeb looked confused then he got angry, "What the fuck are you still doing here?" directed at me, and then he turned to Val, "I told you to just take her."

"That's like kidnaping, when I got there she had no idea who I was she told me that you told her I died! What the fuck is wrong with you?" everyone in the room was frozen; I guess I wasn't the only one surprised that Val was dropping an f-bomb. Apparently Val was on a roll because then she turned to me, "And you! I know that your father was being inconsiderate when he told you I was dead and then tried to force you on me, but that doesn't mean that you can act this way. The whole reason I'm here in the first place is because he said that you had a bad attitude and said that a change of scenery might help, but I was under the impression that you were at the very least a lady but look at you." she said gesturing to my dark wash skinny jeans, tight tank top that showed very obvious cleavage, belly ring and multiple ear piercings, my 'emo' haircut that almost completely covered my left eye, and my bright blue peek-a-boo. Ouch that was a shot to the ego; I thought my style was pretty awesome.

One look at my hurt face made her back track her words, "Oh Max, I'm sorry."

"Whatever, just leave." I turned to Jeb, "I'll be in my room."

When I was already halfway up the stairs Jeb said, "That's not your room anymore."

"What the fuck are you talking about? Of course it's my room, it's always been my room, and it will most likely continue to be my room until I turn 18 and leave this shithole."

"Before you so rudely came barging in your father and I were celebrating something, wouldn't you like to know what that is?" Anne piped up.

"I already knew you were celebrating my supposed departure, what are you doing, trying to rub it in or something?"

"I was hoping there could be a buildup to this but I guess not. Max, Anne is pregnant and we're going to Florida to be closer to her parents." Jeb blurted out randomly.

I burst out laughing, they could not be serious, "You're not… serious… are you?" I said while trying to quell my laughter.

"Yes we are very serious, this is Anne's first child and her parents want to be a part of its life." Jeb stated, my laughter ceased immediately.

"Let me get this straight, Anne is pregnant, and now you're moving to Florida to be closer to her family. Meanwhile you don't want me to have any part of this new life you're trying to build so you're pawning off on mommy dearest on the pretense that I have an attitude problem and need a change of scenery." Through my whole rant Jeb and Anne were just nodding as if I had the right idea which is why they were confused when I burst out laughing again.

"Why on earth are you laughing?" Anne exclaimed, "Are you high?"

That sobered me up immediately –Figuratively speaking of course- "How dare you assume I'm on drugs. I'm laughing because you and daddy dearest obviously don't know how the whole custody thing works. Jeb has full custody of me; Val isn't even supposed to be able to see me so you can see how pawning me off on her would be a bad idea. And sure it might work if I was the type to stay quiet about unjust things but we all know I'm not."

Jeb looked appalled, "What do you want?"

I smiled devilishly, "College, you pay for it all."

"You won't ever bother me and Anne again?"

I nodded solemnly, "I won't even go to your funeral." I promised him.

"Done," I took a peek at Val when he said that, she looked absolutely appalled, "Email me how much the tuition is and I'll set up a private account."

"If you can afford to pay my way through college then why do we live in this shit hole?"

"It's not for my benefit, bad neighborhoods build character. Now go pack I want you gone tonight."

I rushed up the stairs and started throwing everything of value that I owned into the few suit cases, duffle bags, and back packs that I owned.

I noticed Val standing in my doorway when I started to collect my books and painting supply's after I had packed every stich of clothing that I owned. "Do you want to help?" I asked as politely as possible.

Val nodded, walked over to my guitar, and started packing it up along with all of my picks and my stand. "Would it have really been so horrible coming to live with me? Is it only the money that you want?" Val asked in a quiet voice.

I just grinned, "Val, I had already decided that I wanted to go with you, the money was just a bonus. I would have come with or without it." I stopped packing for a moment, "He really is and idiot isn't he?"

"Oh Max, but what about your job and your friends over here?" she asked sounding genuinely concerned.

"What friends? And I got fired about a week ago. Something about not wearing the appropriate attire." I grinned at her again.

Val sighed, "Oh Max, what am I going to do with you?" she asked rhetorically, "Oh, but what about school? Your senior year must have just started I don't know anything about your classes or anything really."

"I already know where I want to go to college. I applied to a bunch of art schools but I've got my sights set on California Institute of the Arts." I smiled a proud smile.

"So you're an artist?"

"And a musician."

"Well, there is a fairly nice arts school that Ella goes to in the area, she's an actress. I'm sure I could get you enrolled." Valencia said with I fond smile.

"Ella?" I asked confusedly, who is this chick that's got my mother smiling fondly?

She seemed to snap back into reality, "I forget that you didn't even know I existed until a little over two hours ago. Ella is my daughter, and my husband's name is Ben. Ella is fifteen and she's a sophomore at Collgan's School of Fine Arts. Which is where I'm hoping to get you in."

"Val, I can go to public school. I have been for my whole life."

"Nonsense, if your talented you should go somewhere that showcases that."

"MmHmm,"I murmured not quite agreeing with her. After I checked my jewelry case to make sure that skank Anne didn't steal any of my ear rings or belly rings I packed it up and looked at my practically stripped bare room.

"Let's go, I think I have everything." Right before I turned out the light and shut my door something caught my eye. It was sparkling as the moon hit it, a slightly bulky key that looked out of place on the delicate chain meant to wrap around your neck and hang to just between your breasts.

I immediately drove under the bed to grab ahold of it. When I wriggled out from under the bed I hastily tied it around my neck and closed the clasp while thinking, _how could I have possibly almost forgotten this?_

When it was all tied up I glanced briefly at the engraving I knew by heart, _JJ&Max- BBFL_, before tucking under my shirt, between my breasts, and safely out of sight. I really wasn't kidding when I said 'What friends?'

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**Review and tell me if it's worth continuing! Or if it's not!**

**Fly On, Taylor. XD**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'mmm baaack! *Cough* I'm back with another chapter. If you are offended by coarse language then turn back now. I'm serious, I don't want to hear people complaining about the language. I want this to be realistic, and in real life teens swear, so deal.**

**I just noticed that I forgot a disclaimer last chapter.**

**I don't own Maximum Ride, or any songs that may be used in future chapters, and any brands and logos you may recognize! Nothing but the plot!**

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BBFL, it stands for Best Bitches for Life. I remember when we made that up. In ninth grade we were both just starting high school. I was your typical badass emo loner chick with a reputation for being a major bitch. JJ was… well I don't think there is a nice way to call someone a slut but she was. And she owned it, along with her own bad reputation of being quite bitchy on multiple occasions.

We met in detention if that isn't too cliché, she got caught making out with someone in the janitors closet -The school has a zero tolerance policy when it came to PDA-, I was sleeping in class for the millionth time this year.

When we started talking we found out we had quite a bit in common and before we knew it we were the best of bitches. End of story, well not quite more like end of Melodramatic Musings staring Max.

"What's eating at you?" I might have actually jumped a little in my seat when Val's voice drifted over the sound of the music that was filling the car.

"Huh?" was my oh so brilliant reply.

"I asked what was eating at you, you seemed pretty lost in thought."

"Oh, well that happens sometimes. Don't be alarmed when it does, I could be thinking about anything ranging from the meaning of life to golf."

Val chuckled, "Oh, well we're almost getting into town if you want to look around a bit." I nodded.

It was a really nice town to be fair. It's just too bad that I didn't really like nice. Nice towns meant nice people and do you know how hard it is to be bitchy to nice people? It's really fucking hard.

We passed a grocery store and a library. And everything was all nice and quaint was there even a bad part to this town?

I was really starting to worry when we passed through the mediocre suburbs and into the nice part of town where all the rich people lived with beach front property.

"Val, please tell me that it goes middle class, upper class, and then the ghetto. Please tell me we're going to the ghetto." I pleaded with her but I already knew it was a lost cause, I should have known the type of place she would live as soon as I saw the type of car she drove.

"Sorry Max, but this is us." She said though she didn't look sympathetic at all as we pulled into a three story house right on the beach.

The house was a pale shade of blue with black shutters on the windows, the garage was two car and there was already a shiny silver Prius sitting there when we pulled in.

"Ella's probably asleep already so let's just bring your stuff inside and we can unpack tomorrow." I nodded still in awe and shock of the house that Val lived in.

It only took two trips to get all of my stuff inside what I assumed was one of the guest rooms turned mine. The first thing I noticed about the room was that there was a big freaking window on one side, not even the side that would be facing the beach. It was facing the neighbor's house, to be more specific it was facing another big window on the side of the neighbor's house.

"So, the bed is all made and we can put your sheets on tomorrow after we wash them but this will have to do for tonight."

"It's… great. Thanks Vaaahl." I said screwing up Val's name with a yawn. "Good night."

"Night."

As soon as she left me to my own devices I checked out the rest of the room, the walls were a decent shade of blue, the closet was walk in, the bathroom was decent sized, and the queen sized bed was extremely comfortable, which was probably the reason that I fell asleep as soon as my body hit the bed.

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Surprisingly enough when I woke up in the morning I was the only one up. My first thought was, _It is a weekday right? People have work and school?_ My second coherent thought came after I checked the time and was, _Why the fuck am I up at 5:30 in the fucking morning?_

Being in that time between awake but not quite and asleep but not quite sucks, and after several attempts to get back into fully asleep mode I decided to just get up and take a shower to wake myself up into fully awake mode. This was the point where my morning went from nice and quiet and screamy and terrifying.(Obviously  
terrifying for the other people.)

You know how some showers are horrible and yes I do know you're thinking _how can a shower be horrible?_ Well just take my word for it. I've showered in a bunch of places –Don't take that the wrong way- so you learn to appreciate when someone has a really nice shower. And Val? Yeah, her shower is one of the best.

The only reason I brought this up is because I get really relaxed after a nice shower so I was just a little caught off guard when as I wrapped myself up in a towel the door opened. And when the short little door opener caught sight of me, she screamed. I'm not talking about a wimpy little "AHHH!" I'm talking a full out banshee screech that left my ears ringing.

Instinctively I covered my ears and asked, "What the fuck is your problem?" when she had stopped screaming. When I looked up there was a tall man standing next to her and Val was rushing up the stairs.

"Oh dear, I really wish you didn't have to meet like this." She said when she got to us.

"Honey," the man who I assumed was Ben, her husband started, "Who is this?"

"This is Max, Sweetie." She introduced, "Max, this is Ben and Ella."

"Yeah, I gathered as much." I muttered.

"Mom, what is Max doing in my bathroom?" Ella asked cautiously, as if afraid of the answer.

Val visibly winced, "Well, now it's both of your bathroom. Surprise!" she said slowly, trying to smile at the end but it turned out as more of a grimace.

"Val, who is Max?" Ben asked.

"Max is a person." Val said avoiding answering the question.

"To you, who is Max to you?"

"Um, hello? Naked person standing here in a towel, you can read my autobiography later." I cut in, seeing Val's obvious discomfort. I brushed passed them and headed to my room, "I'll be out in ten and then you can hear my whole life story."

When I got into my room I made sure to close the blinds before I took off my towel and changed in a pair of track shorts, a sports bra and one of my many t shirts.

When I finally found my way to the kitchen it was completely silent. "So, what have you got for food here? I'm starved." I said.

"Oh Max, I was going to make breakfast for you but then all this happened. Let's just talk first then we can make some food." Val said patiently. I nodded my agreement and took a seat at the counter.

"I'm Max, and I'm seventeen." I pointed to Ella, "Your turn."

"Oh, um, I'm Ella and I'm 15." I nodded then pointed to Ben,

"Max honey, we should just explain the situation. We can get to know each other later." Val cut in seeing as my way was getting us nowhere.

"Sure, whatever floats your boat Val. Your turn to talk then." I shrugged indifferently.

Val took a deep breath, "Guys, Max is my daughter." Then they just exploded.

"What!?" Ella. "Why have I never known about this?" Ben. Past that point it was kinda hard to keep up. I heard snippets of Ella complaining about sharing her bathroom and Ben saying something quiet to Val.

"Okay, seriously. I don't know why you're freaking out about this. My dad's an ass who abandoned me to go try the whole parenting thing again with his skanky wife. I'm only here until I turn eighteen and go to college, it's no big deal." No one seemed to hear me, and everyone knows that I don't do well with being ignored.

"Everybody needs to sit down and shut the fuck up!" I screamed at them. They immediately stopped talking and stared at me with wide eyes. "Now, we are going to sit and talk in turns calmly like the adults the majority of us are supposed to be." I said in a quieter voice. "Ben may go first."

He directed his question at Val, "How?" was all he asked.

"I'm really sorry Honey. I got pregnant and had Max while I was using. Her father got full custody and I got no visitation. Recently he started contacting me telling me that Max was getting into some trouble and that he wanted me to take her for a little while. She's only staying with us until she turns eighteen and heads off to college. Her father practically abandoned her and forced her on me. I couldn't just leave her there alone while her father ran off."

"Can she even afford college, or are we paying for that too?" a snide remark made by Ella.

"Wow, and I was under the impression that you weren't a bitch." I replied.

"Max! Language!" Val exclaimed.

I just looked at her innocently, "It's English." Val sighed.

"I'm hoping that I can get Max into Collgan's to finish her senior year. After all, it is only two weeks into the year." Ella scoffed, I chose to be the bigger person and ignore her.

"I can go to public school, it doesn't matter to me." I muttered.

"Nonsense," Val must have heard me.

"Well, unlike some people I have to go to school today so if you'll excuse me…" Ella trailed off as she started walking out of the room.

"Ella," Val called her back, "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity but if you help Max get unpacked and maybe show her around town you don't have to go to school today. Only for today, you go for sure tomorrow."

Ella actually looked thoughtful while I was thinking, _Hmm bitchy half-sister or school, bitchy half-sister or school. Yeah, tough choice._ "I guess, c'mon Max let's go unpack." She replied turning on her heal obviously expecting me to follow.

"Thanks for welcoming me into your home." I told Ben and Val before walking out because I was raised to have manners contrary to popular belief.

"What are you doing?" I screeched as I walked into my room to see Ella rummaging through one of my bags.

"Unpacking your stuff." She replied in a 'duh' voice.

I rushed over to see which bag she had opened and sighed in relief when it only had clothes in it. "Just let me know before you open any bags, I have some stuff that's private." I told her while walking over to the window and opening the blinds and the window to let the nice ocean breeze run through the room.

"Whatever," Ella said while taking some clothes and putting them into the dresser in the corner. "What are you doing?" she asked catching sight of me taking my shirt off.

"It's hot." I told her simply. "And you can just throw those in there; they'll just get messed up again eventually. Why prolong the inevitable?"

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It took us 2 hours to put all of my clothes away, unpack my guitar and stand, and set up my easel and painting supplies.

We ate an oh so healthy breakfast of Cinnamon Toast Crunch –Aka The best cereal ever- and toast in silence.

Since we all know how suborn I am I refused to break the silence so ten minutes into breakfast Ella did. "Do you actually want to go around town or do you just want to go to the beach?"

I shrugged, "I could care less about the town, I'm not even going to be here for a year, so I guess beach it is."

"Meet me out back when you're ready." When I nodded Ella headed upstairs presumably to change into her swimming suit.

I headed outside after changing into my black bikini with a neon splatter design, grabbing a towel, and finding my favorite pair of aviator sunglasses.

I really love the ocean, it's dark and mysterious while at the same time being totally gorgeous. So it's understandable that when I walked outside I just stopped for I moment to admire the beauty of it. Apparently Ella didn't think it was so understandable because she got up from where she was laying in the sand, walked over to me, and proceeded to wave her hand in front of my face.

I snatched her hand mid wave, "What's your problem?" I asked her.

Ella just shrugged, "You were zoning had to snap you out of it somehow." She started to walk away, "C'mon the best spot's over here."

"I wasn't zoning by the way." I told her.

"Sure you weren't," she said before she flopped onto her stomach and went to sleep. I followed shortly after her.

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**So, how was it? I want complete honesty and at least five more (Perferably more than five) reviews before you get chapter 3.**

**This may prompt you to review, Question Time!**

**What's your favorite or least favorite season? Why? Mine is summer because my birthday's in summer, and because it's hot, and because there's no school, and the list goes on and on and on...**

**My least favorite is Winter because I hate the cold. Simple as that. And it gets really cold where I live so I can't wait to ditch the cold and move somewhere warm.**

**REVIEW!**

**Fly On, Taylor. XD**


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